Ken Burns’s recent commencement address at Brandeis University certainly touches upon courage, integrity, and the ability to discern the truth about our past, present, and what is yet to come.
Democracy Awakening is a must-read that imparts the unvarnished truth of American history, leading to the current state of our democracy. There has always been a conservative faction in America who are deeply afraid of losing their position as top dog. They truly believe in their own superiority and lay claim to an inheritance that is rooted in authoritarianism.
Acclaimed professor of law and author Kermit Roosevelt III calls for a reexamination of America’s past and our myths in his provocative and illuminating recent book The Nation That Never Was: Reconstructing America’s Story (University of Chicago Press).
So, you ask, “Why should I be so concerned with this question of character and destiny at this point in time—and where do I fit in to all of this?” Well, simply stated, I am in my seventh decade now—an elder. I still want to understand and try to make sense of what lessons my country’s character has given to me and continues to impart.
